Badge Attire : Update

Hello! I am a sister of Gamma Phi Beta (international sorority) in the Epsilon Psi Chapter.

Over a year ago, as a New Member, I wrote about the concept of Badge Attire. I'm updating to add a bit more information, as an initiated sister.

At UNC Asheville, we have been using Mondays as "Badge Attire" day- sisters (and new members, which are like sisters-in-training before being initiated) wear business/business casual attire and their badge (or pin).

Sisters wear their pin over their heart. It was designed by Tiffany & Co. back in the late 1800s. 

So, why Badge Attire?

First of all, having a badge denotes you as a member of the sorority. You are wearing symbols and a design chosen (usually) by the founders of the sorority. Each Greek organization has their own badge with its own symbols and meanings.

Wearing business attire and your badge is a way to represent your Greek organization.

People might ask, "Why are you dressed up today?" or inquire about your badge. It gives you a chance to speak about your sorority. It is good public relations/marketing for your chapter on campus (or out and about!). You get to look fine, honor your sorority, and feel good about yourself. Wearing my badge reminds me to hold myself up to the highest type of womanhood.

It is a symbol of sisterhood, and you can point out the girls wearing badge attire and can gather that they are a part of something bigger, together. 

It's just classy, y'all.

Plus, you paid for the beautiful piece of jewelry, give yourself an excuse to wear it!

Time to choose my Badge Attire outfit for the first day of my Senior year of college...

Curtis OUT!

Housewife Tip #6

Take stock of your kitchen.

What separates a girl from a woman (at least one part) are some kitchen essentials.

I have realized that several of my college student female counterparts are lacking in the kitchen department. This might not seem like a big deal, especially if you eat microwave dinners and mac & cheese all the time, but it's time to grow up.

One way to evaluate your kitchen is to choose one staple meal and a desert that you would be willing to make for friends if they came over.

For me:

Chicken is the meal, but you only need a few extras to make it delicious. Consider:
- herbs/spices
- cream of mushroom/celery soup
- chicken broth

I can make super delicious baked chicken with just those ingredients. The herbs are the most expensive, but once you dig in and buy some staple herbs/spices (oregano, rosemary, garlic, basil, salt, pepper) you will be set. Soup can be like a dollar and you can do canned broth or cubes, whatever is your fancy.

Buy lettuce or a bagged salad and there ya go, a simple baked chicken and salad meal. If you feel like adding a bread side, use your garlic powder or salt and make garlic bread!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
- flour
- white sugar/brown sugar
- vanilla
- baking soda
- salt
- chocolate chips

Then, when you know you're having a girl's night or friends over, all you need to go get (if you don't already have them) is butter and eggs.


Also, all of these basic ingredients (flour, sugar, herbs) are generally used throughout the spectrum of all types of cooking, so when you do feel like branching away from a Hamburger Helper box you will be generally more prepared.


Good luck in the kitchen!

Curtis OUT.

Housewife Tip #5

The Best Parmesan Chicken Bake

I found the above recipe by chance- I was just trying to find something new and interesting to add to my food repertoire. I love chicken, but I am not the best cook. This recipe is easy and wonderfully delicious without a lot of hard work.


My edits include:
- I used seasoned bread crumbs instead of croutons because I read that the croutons were awkward to eat, they were too crunchy. 
- I added garlic salt and rosemary on the chicken before pouring the marinara sauce onto the chicken.


It came out of the over and looked beautiful, and tasted even better. My next dinner party will include this dish! Also, basically any type of healthy green side would be good with this.


Try it out! It's super delicious!


Curtis OUT!

Being a Hipster

It has been decided:

The number one rule of being a hipster is that you do not refer to yourself (or your friends) as a hipster or hipsters.

This is unfortunate for me, because I am an outspoken hipster, making me not a hipster...
I bought mint green and deep purple skinny jeans today, I love my grey skinny jeans and ill fitting bright yellow cardigan, I have yellow framed glasses AND black framed glasses, when I wear contacts I have purple pseudo-Ray Bans, I wear TOMS shoes...

I, essentially, am a hipster. BUT since I admit to my hipster-ness, that negates it.

Conundrum?

Maybe I am a hippie/hipster... I don't have an edgy haircut or have any cool accessories, and I don't wear makeup.

Labels are amusing :)

Curtis OUT.

Housewife Tip #4

Be Honest & Make Incentives

I live with a boy. He's not quite a man since I have done his laundry more than he has done it for himself since we've started living together. We share a room and a house. He hates doing laundry and washing dishes.

I cannot stand cleaning up other people's messes. This causes some strife.

I tried the being honest method first... in not the best way possible.

I came home very aggravated about being a full-time student, working an evening job, being a dedicated sister in my sorority, and having to come home to a sink full of dishes - 

Basically, my honesty was in a scream... "Why do I have to come home, after everything else I do, to clean up after YOU?! What do YOU do all day? You don't have full-time school hours, you have no job, and you don't do any extracurricular activities. All you do is sit at the computer!!!!"

Obviously this didn't work to make anything better.

Part one of Housewife Tip #4 : honesty is good when you are calm and speaking rationally

I tried the incentive method second.

I was annoyed that he left out a certain pan - he always leaves the pan on the oven after using it. I bet him a CookOut milkshake that the pan would NOT be cleaned by the time I got home 3 hours later. Low and behold, the pan was cleaned! Is cleaning one pan worth a $4 milkshake? Not really. But it was a good way to say, "I really appreciate and need your help on this."

If my man was around when I started doing chores, I would ask if he could help me. He usually would say, "Sure." kind of begrudgingly, but would help anyways. I would try to make sure we had a fun or daily re-cap conversation while we emptied the dishwasher. Once we were done, I'd point out that it took half the time for us to do it together, we had a conversation about the project he just finished, and that I really appreciated his help (cue big kiss and hug). 

This has helped. 

And not to be too graphic, but if you make some other kind of.... intimate incentives... it is VERY successful

Recap:

Be honest - Only be honest in a constructive way; if you want to calmly explain that you are very busy and would greatly appreciate some help with chores, and maybe come up with a delegation game plan, that is constructive.

Make incentives - If your roommate goes out of their way to do something for you, thank them in that moment if you think of it, or even thank them later with a note or candy bar present. If you ask for someone to help you with a chore, it makes it so that neither of you has to do it by yourself, and you both get to chat and get something productive accomplished all at once. But really- saying THANK YOU! really does make a difference. That positive reinforcement idea really works. Try it :)

Curtis OUT.

Worst Semester Ever

Spring 2012 - The Worst Semester Ever.

I think this semester was the worst due to two main courses that I honestly couldn't care less about:
Humanities 124 (The Ancient World) and Econ 101 (Macroeconomics).
I just don't care. Maybe this makes me ignorant or naive, but I honestly don't care about Aristotle, AE Curves, Plato, monetary policy, and Gilgamesh. Maybe I should care. But all I'm trying to do is get a degree in MANAGEMENT, not history or money or economics. I just want to be a recruiter and trainer. Can we pass all of the world history bull shit? We've been learning that since 6th grade!!!
I understand why economics is important for a business degree, but the poor professor is probably 70+ years old and rambles about cars and "back in his day" and it was literally impossible for me to pay attention. I think there was one class total that I actually didn't day dream or mess around on facebook on my phone.

Other than that, I had HR Management, Makeup Design (Theater), and Business Law. Those were all pretty okay.

I'm basically writing this to apologize for not writing. I keep telling myself that I will, and never make time for it.

In the fall I have 19 credit hours of class, so unfortunately there might not be any writing again. I keep holding on to this blog in hopes that I will one day make something of it. Maybe I'll work on it this summer...?

Curtis OUT.

8 Tracks, baby!

Do you like Pandora? Pretty awesome to listen to a "radio-mix" online... except for those pesky advertisements!

Check out 8tracks.com.

There are a plethora of crazy interesting mixes- a lot of them include stunning covers or re-mixes of awesome hip-hop songs. Stuff you'd never imagine... until it's playing in your FACE.

CHECK IT OUT.

Curtis OUT.
<3

Housewife Tip #3

The "Out of the Dryer" Smell 

One thing I always loved was going to my mom's house and having my clothes washed there- they always smelled nicer from mom's house than if I had washed them. It was the same at my brother's house; he would be a sweetheart and offer to put a load of laundry in the wash for me when I stayed for a long weekend. They'd come out of the dryer and smell SOOO nice, and they'd stay like that for two weeks.

I finally gave in and decided to give myself the luxury of that smell-
Fabric Softener. Dryer Sheets. Heaven.

I'm usually a thrifty shopper and avoid unnecessary items *cough like fabric softener cough*, but moving into a new house and wanting to feel as comfortable as possible, I gave in.
At Target, I bought the 100oz Snuggle Blue Sparkle Softener and a 267 count box of Snuggle Blue Sparkle Dryer Sheets, both about $8.50 each. Now, I know it sounds dumb to buy $17 worth of stuff just to make your clothes smell nice, but really, it is AWESOME.

  Good reasons to use fabric softener and dryer sheets:
- reduces the smell from wooden drawers and closets 
- if you're like me and wear your clothes more than once... or even twice... before washing them again, you feel a lot less gross
- if you accidentally forget to wear deodorant or don't have time to take a shower, you still smell relatively nice
- I have sheets that I use as couch covers, and it is such a nice feeling to have a clean house and literally clean smelling furniture, especially if you're about to have company over
- it's like Febreze on your clothes for longer!
- the dryer sheets can help reduce clothing wrinkles and static cling


Warnings:
Some people are allergic to things like fragranced detergents, fabric softeners and dryer sheets (due to the chemicals they contain). Also, it has been stated that fabric softeners reduce the lifespan of your clothing as well as the absorbency (for something like towels) over time. And finally, some people say there are cancer causing agents in them. But... honestly, there are a bajillion different cancer causing agents around us and you're either going to get cancer or not. 

Curtis OUT.

Housewife Tip #2

So... Have you ever heard of an "eye gouger"? That's the lovely nickname for the melon baller, a seemingly pointless kitchen device that could actually get a lot of use.

Interested to proceed further into the HOW part of a melon baller? 

So... HOW can I use this mysterious mellon baller? Well, taking a hint from its name, you can totally make little melon balls with it. You have to press down hard and twist the wrist to make pretty perfect spheres appear. 

So... WHY would you want little round balls of melon? Maybe for a classy fruit salad, an accent to a food display, or as part of a dessert topper. 

BUT! Here is the awesome part - you can use it for more than just melons! Who would have guessed?!?

After an apple has been cut in half, you can use the melon baller to cut out the core (same with pears). You can use it to do fancy designs for pumpkin carving. Truffles can be shaped with the help of a melon baller.... Also, you can take the leafy top off of strawberries with it (Also, there is a whole strawberry stem remover to help with that, if you are interested in another kitchen gadget)!

AMAZING!

Keep checking in with my blog to see if there are more life lessons for you to learn...

Curtis OUT.

Housewife Tip #1

Here is my attempt at keeping up with this blog better... adding the little "housewife tips" I've learned/heard about/gathered over the years of being friends with moms.

Housewife Tip #1
Having been in a number of theatrical performances, I've received a number of flower bouquets. But one thing people don't realize is what you're supposed to do with the flowers once you get home!

When you get your flowers home, BEFORE putting them in a vase with water, cut the stems wherever you want at a diagonal angle. This allows a fresh part of the stem to be showing with a greater amount of surface area to absorb water to keep your flowers fresh. Apply this method to cutting fresh flowers out of a garden as well.
(Also, a lot of store-bought flowers include those "food packets" - I've never really noticed if they worked, but remember to put that in the water before the flowers. Also, the flower stems will take up space in the vase and raise the water level, so try not to make a mess!)

Curtis OUT!

The Summer Update

I still work 9-5pm at Rockbrook.
I did not end up stage managing Brevard Little Theatre's "Annie".
I have done alright with visiting with friends, not as well as I should have though.
I am to episode 52 of Bones. There are about 110 available on Netflix.
I auditioned for America's Next Top Model in Greenville, SC. Waiting to hear back (if I hear back at all).
I had a photo shoot with super cute pics with both Kathleed Rogers and Ella McCoy. Madeline was indeed my stylist for Ella's photo shoot.
I don't have a program and have not worked on the Gamma Phi website; I think I'm just going to have to do it on a PC once I get back to school.
I have gotten a lot better at remembering names, but haven't really come up with a method.

I have been going to yoga, but totally have not been using an elliptical or running... shame on me. Oh well. I'm hoping some of my Gamma Phi sisters will help me out with that!


In other news, I was thinking about changing or adding a focus to my blog- "housewife tips". We'll see how that works out...

Curtis OUT!

General Summer 2011 Plans

So here are some general summer 2011 plans:

- Work a general 9am-5pm shift, M-F at Rockbrook Camp.
- Stage Manage the Brevard Little Theatre Production of "Annie".
- Visit with friends (in B-Town, as well as my lovely Nick in Ashevegas).
- Watch all the episodes of "Bones" on Netflix. Looove it!
- Potentially audition for America's Next Top Model if they make their way to Atlanta.
- Have a photo shoot with Ella McCoy as my photographer and Madeline McKeller as my stylist!
- Get a website editing program (Mac) to fix up the Gamma Phi website.
- Work really hard to figure out a way to remember the names of people I meet.

Some of the nitty gritty details:
I'm starting my "summer makeover" plan next week (after my birthday!). I'm signing up for a membership at the local gym... I plan on taking yoga twice a week and to start working on the elliptical. I have to build up my jogging abilities on the treadmill too- I was doing pretty well for a while but have fallen very far behind. I'm hoping to build up to running on 'Charlotte's Run' which is a trail at camp that a lot of the girls use for running (but it has lots of hills and I'm not ready for that yet, sadly). I want to start using free weights and make a routine that I can do while I watch "Bones" or re-runs of ANTM. I am thinking about starting a morning stretch routine because I have horrible flexibility and poor posture. I need to save up to buy a nice, comfortable, perfect fitting pair (or two!) of heels and learn to walk in them. You can't really be a top model if you can't wear heels...

Sorry for the rambling... My next post will likely have to do with my favorite designers... so keep an eye out for it!
Curtis OUT!

The Terrors of TV

Almost everyone I know is aware of the fact that I generally don't watch TV- I didn't have a TV in my apartment this past year, I didn't have "a show" my senior year of high school while I was at UNCSA... I DID however, watch American Idol and America's Next Top Model in middle/high school on and off.
My mother was excited for me to watch American Idol with her tonight. There were only 4 contestants left and they sang two songs each, so I was totally down for that. No big deal.
BUT- here is the real reason I don't watch TV... after Idol was over, I had to hit that Guide button and see what else was playing. And of course, my ultimate soft-spot: Next Top Model.

I remember from a young age my aunt said that I should be a model. I never really took it to heart; I've always had my family say I was pretty or beautiful, and once you hear it so much from them (and not really anyone else), it's hard to believe. But I did pursue acting, which doesn't really require great looks, just bearability and a decent personality.

But damn, every time I watch Next Top Model, there is this little part inside of me yearning to be on that show. I have the energy, the charisma, the lack of a piss-poor attitude or diva-ness, the emotion, the ability to relate to a story, the understanding of marketing... and the height (although I'm about 1/4" too short, but who is counting?). I look kind of average/normal, which is a problem, but I do have big soulfull eyes.

So there it is. One of the main reasons I stopped watching TV is because I was sick of yearning and wanting to be a model and actress. Sick of watching these shows and thinking, "I could totally do that 100 times better."
People say follow your dreams... Years ago, my dream was to have a normal life. I'm not sure what normal really means, but my current self says that it means I need to get over myself and graduate from college before making up crazy life goals like modeling and acting.

TV, how I love and hate you so.

Curtis OUT.

Summer Commences! Portfolio Pages Abound!

Summer is here! And here is my Powerpoint version of my portfolio... It's not complete because I need to scan a number of drawings that I've completed since I did this version, but it's the rough version. I would change the order around too (like, have the renderings/pictures for the show that I actually designed for first). Enjoy!

Curtis OUT!

HATCH - Asheville

I really hope I can go check this out...
HATCH - Asheville

They have everything from photography to fashion to music to journalism!

The dates are April 14-17th...

There are workshops, panels, presentations, exhibits, performances...
Individual events cost $5-7, but you can buy a 'Pack' ticket that includes other events too ($20-66).

Asheville is awesome!

Curtis OUT!

"Badge Attire"

I'm having trouble keeping up with this blog...

A peek into the Greek Life:

So, for Gamma Phi Beta we decided that Mondays are "Badge Attire" days- That means you dress up/wear business casual or more fancy outfits AND, importantly, your 'badge'- for me, it's a New Member pin. For the initiated sisters, they have their own badge (from Tiffany's, of course, with their name inscripted on the back).

The purpose?
A combination of publicity (PR stuff) and sisterhood.
You dressing up is supposed to provoke someone to ask, "Why are you dressed up?" and then you explain Badge Attire, and of course, mention that you're in a sorority named Gamma Phi Beta. Cha-ching! Associating girls looking nice with a sorority (and particularly, if you are respected/liked by that person, they'll probably think highly of the sorority too).
Another part of this is the sisterhood aspect- we are all supposed to dress up; you're more likely to comment on a sister's outfit if they're dressed up! We comment on each others 'badge attire' being cute, which can start a conversation and relating to each other.

Back to work!
Curtis OUT!

NYC

Noted necessary items for life in NYC:

• Collapsable/small umbrella that fits in your bag for unexpected rain
• Awesomely awesome cute rain jacket, long, with giant hood for when you expect rain
• Comfy comfy comfy comfy comfypossiblycutecomfy heels
• Smart phone with GPS
• Fingertipless gloves or those fancy gloves with magnets in them so you can use your touchscreen phone while wearing them
• Unlimited subway pass
• and probably more that I haven't thought about yet or had an issue with

Curtis OUT.

Sneak Peek

Hello all...

Just in case you missed the memo - I'M IN NEW YORK CITY!!!

Other than that, I'm giving a quick sneak peek of my portfolio stuff. My plan is to get a website set up by summer so I can have an actual nice portfolio instead of my musings mixed with actual work. 

For fun drawing w/swatches:

Picture taken by Rob Bowen from "Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage:

Off to a meeting with someone from Disney!

Curtis OUT.

Common Sense Fashion

The greatly anticipated blog post is here- Originally conceived in the "World Coffee" coffee shop in downtown Asheville between myself and Nick, I am finally typing out some of the noticed fashions that need to go away. FOREVER.

• Animal print anything: It has never been cute or fashionable. Ever. In all time. You are imitating a dead animal; what is less sexy than that? 
• Camouflage on non-military persons: You are offensive. Please don't wear purple camo pants with a twill military cap and a Juicy Couture shirt. You are only camouflaged in groups of 7, 8, and 9-year-old girls who are still wearing brightly colored legging-pants and clashing shirts. 
• Skunk hair: If a bunch of horny skunks invaded a wig shop... No, really. Why would you do this to yourself? Do you really want a skunk to track you down and hump your hair?
• Dressing inappropriately for the weather: 
• If it is raining, wear actual shoes. Don't wear Uggs- they are not water resistant. Don't wear heels- you will slip and hurt yourself. Don't wear flats- if you step in a puddle your shoes/feet will be submerged. Duh. 
• Uggs and shorts. WTF. (I can make exception for actual dancers, ballet particularly- I think they like to keep their feet 'warmed up' between dance classes/rehearsals and warm boots are a great way to do that.)
• And what is up with wearing wool hats in the summer time? I can understand if you're camping at night and want to keep the chills away, but when you're on the quad playing frisbee? Really?
• I know you think that Calvin Klein 3/4 length sleeves "jacket" is cute, but really- it is 35 degrees outside, with a hefty breeze- put on some clothes! You are making me cold just watching you stand there as you text.
• In honor of my brother, although I don't follow this rule: Sandals and long pants- they are contradictory. Are your feet less sensitive to cold than your legs... or what?
• I don't have the notebook that we wrote down the other things, but I thought getting this down now is better than nothing :)

Curtis OUT!

(back later with more additions)

Unabashed Apparel

Cool and cute clothing designed by a UNC Asheville alum!
Unabashed Apparel
She focuses on sustainable practices, which is something I would love to explore.

Time to finish my 'elements and principles of design' paper...


Curtis OUT!